Presser foot for sewing machines



Sept. v.- 28 1926.. 1,91,238

I J. E. CHALMAN PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed August 25: 1924 4 sneetwpeez 1 Sept. 28 1926.

J. E. CHALMAN PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed August 25, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. E. CHALMAN PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Sept. 28 12.

Filed August 25, 192 4 Sheets-5mm 5 Sept. 28 1926.

J. E. CHALMAN PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed August 25, 1924 4 S heetsSheet 4 Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATS FFIC JOHN E. CHALMAN,'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed August 25, 1924. Serial No. 733,996.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in presser feet for sewing machines. and more particularly a presser foot adapted to cooperate with a diti'erential feeding mechanism in feeding 'a body fabric and a facing strip to the stitching mechanism.

In the attaching of a facing to-a body fabric. such as knit goods or the like, considerable difficulty has been experienced in the feeding of the facing strip smoothly and evenly. particularly when a new piece of fabric is fed into a machine and the facing strip is being fed continuously.

An object of the invention is to provide a presser foot which is provided with yielding sections at the rear side thereof which operates to hold the facing strip in contact with the feed dogs during the time that a piece of fabric is entering under the front end of the foot and raising said front end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a presser foot of the above type, which is also divided longitudinally so as to provide an auxiliary yielding section which operates to hold and control the feed of an edging which is being attached to the body goods at the same time that the facing strip is applied thereto.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a front view of the machine having my improved presser foot applied thereto;

Fig, 2 is a plan view on the line 2"2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view onthe line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a sectional view on the line 4.4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the presser foot on the line 66 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the presser foot;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a section of a facing strip, a body fabric and a lace edging, all of which are united by the aid of my improved presser foot.

The presser foot is preferably used in conjunction with a differential feeding mechais so mounted thereon as to yield vertically.

At the rear end of the'main section there is an auxiliary section extending all the way across the main section which yields vertically. At the rear end of the auxiliary section there is a section which extends all the way across the auxiliary yielding section, and. which is capable of yielding relative to the auxiliary section and also with the auxiliary section.

I have shown the invention as applied to a sewing machine provided'with a bed plate 1 carrying a cloth plate 2 and an overhanging arm 3 in which a need1e bar 4 recipro-- cates. Said needle bar carries two needles 5 and 6. Mounted beneath the work support 2 is a guide 7 for a facing strip. This guide 7 is mounted on a bracket 8 secured to the depending apron 9 of the cloth plate. The machine is provided with a main feed dog 10 and an auxiliary feed dog 11. These feed dogs are part of a differential feeding mechanism of a well-known type and are adapted to feed an elastic fabric to the stitching mechanism without undue stretching of the same. The machine is particularly adapted for stitching a facing to a body fabric. In Fig. 8 the facing strip is indicated at F, the body fabric at B, and a lace edging at E. It will be noted that the right hand or outer edge of the body fabric is turned under or hemmed. Both edges of the facing strip are turned in. The facing strip and body fabric are united at one side by a line of stitching a, while the facing strip, body fabric and the lace edging are united at the other side by a line of stitching n. The facing strip as above stated, passes through the guide 7 and up through a slot in the throat plate, and thus underneath the presser foot which holds the material in proper relation to the feeding mechanism for the feeding of the same. This guide 7 is mounted on the depending apron of the cloth plate as above stated by means of a shank 12 which supports the guide and which is secured to the apron by screws 13, 13 passing through slots in the shank which permits the guide to be adjusted so as to direct the facing strip in proper relation to the needles 5 and 6. This guide is also provided with means for mturning the edges of the facing strip, and the needles 5 and-6 are so set as to form the lines of stitching n and n, respectively. The lace edging E is fed through a guide 14 which is likewise secured to the apron 9 by means of a shank 15 and screws 16, which pass through slots in the shank 15. The end of this guide 14 terminates at an opening through the throat plate so that the edging passes up through the throat plate and beneath the presser foot. The body fabric B is guided by means of a plate 17 which is set so as to properly cooperate with an edge guide 18. Said edge guide 18 has an overhanging portion 19 which aids in the directing of the edge of the body fabric underneath the raised portion 20 of the plate 17 and thus a hem is formed in the body fabric. These parts per se form no part of the pres-' ent invention, and further description thereof is not thought necessary.

The invention is directed particularly to the presser foot which operates to hold these various sections of fabric in proper position' relative to the feeding mechanism. The presser foot is carried by a presser bar 21 and includes a shank portion 22 to which a foot portion 23 is connected.

This foot portion 23 is pivotally connected to the shank by means of a pivot pin 40 which extends longitudinally of the presser foot and through a raised portion 41 carried by the main foot section in the front of the shank 22 and a raised portion 42 in the rear thereof. Said presser foot shank 22 is pro vided with laterally projecting arms 43 and 44, which arms are split and in which stop screws 45 and 46 are located. These screws bear against the. upper face of the main section 23 of the presser foot and serve as a means for adjusting the main section of the foot so that it will properly bear on the fabric which is being fed underneath the same and for rigidly holding said foot in its various adjusted or tilted positions. Said main section of the foot is provided with a recess 47 at the rear thereof, and a yielding auxiliary section 48 is located in this recess. The main foot section is provided with a lateral extension 25 which is also provided with vertically extending portions 26. The laterally extending portion 25 is provided with a recess beneath the same which is slightly .deeper than the recess 47 in which the auxiliary section 48 is located. Extending alongside of the main section 23 of the presser foot there is an auxiliary section 24, which auxiliary section has its cloth engaging face terminating at a point in line with the rear end of the face of the main section 23. This auxiliary section 24 is carried by a shank 27 which is mounted to move vertically in a recess formed in the vertical portion 26 of the lateral extension 25. A spring 28 secured to this vertical section 26 bears on the upper end of the shank 27 and normally forces the auxiliary section downwardly. lVhen the foot is raised for the insertion of material, the downward movement of this section is limited by means of a pin 27'. The auxiliary section 48 in rear of the main section is carried by posts 31 and 32 which are mounted to slide in recesses formed in the raised portion 41 of the main section of the foot. A spring 33 is secured to the shank of the presser foot by means of a screw 34 and this spring 33 bears on the upper end of the post 32 and normally forces the same down with a yielding'prcssure. A pin 35 limits the downward movement of this post 32. A spring 36 is also secured to the shank of the presser foot by means of the screw 34 and this spring 36 bears on the post 31 and forces the same down with a yielding pressure. A pin 37 passing through the post 31 limits its downward movement. This auxiliary section 48 of the main foot section is capable of moving up into the recess 47, and when completely housed in the recess, its lower face is substantially flush with the lower face of the foot section 23. The forward edge of this yield ng section 48 is beveled at 49, so that when said auxiliary section is forced downward, while the main section 23 is raised, the beveled portion will direct the material underneath the auxiliary section. The main section 23 is provided with an upturned toe 50. The auxiliary section 24 1s likewise provided with an upturned toe 29. In rear of the auxiliary section 24 there is a yielding section 51. This yielding section 51 is mounted on a post 52 which is in turn mounted to slide vertically in a recess in the vertical portion 26 of the main foot section. 1

spring53 is secured to the vertical section 26 by suitable means and bears on an adjustable screw 54 threaded into the upper end of the post 52. This screw serves the double function of forming a support for the spring and of limiting the downward movement of the post 52 and the auxiliary section 51. In other words, the head of the screw engages the upper face of the raised pprtion 26 when the yielding section 51 is clear down, and at this time, the lower face of the yielding section is substantially flush with the lower face of the yielding section 48 in rear of the main section of the foot 23. The front end of this yielding section 51 is beveled in the same manner as the yielding section 48. It will be noted that the section 51 is directly in rear of the auxiliary section 24 of the presser foot. The auxiliary section 24 or the presser foot is provided with a'recess in its under face and at its rear end which forms a shoulder, which shoulder serves as a stop for the upward movement of the yielding section 51 relative to said section 24 of the presser foot. As a result, this yielding section, 51 has a limited range of yielding movement relative to the auxiliary section 24, after which it moves with the auxiliary section.

The operation of my improved presser foot will be obvious from the above description. The facing stri F is led in through a tubular guide 7 and t e edges are inturned. As it leaves the guide 7, it passes up throu h a slot in the throat plate in between t e front. section of the feed dog and the main feed dog in rear thereof, and thence underneath the presser foot. The facing strip extends underneath the main section 23 of the presser foot and under the portion 24 of the auxiliary presser foot. The lace edging passes up through the tubular guide there for and through a slot in the throat p'ate and thence underneath the presser foot. The auxiliary section 24: bears on the lace edging and holds it in contact with the feed dogs. This auxiliary section 24 is cut away as above described, and the edge guide 18 extends into this cut away portion and alongside of the section 24. The main body fabric F passes over a plate 17, and this edge is turnedunderneath said plate. After it leaves the plate 17, it passes under both .the sections 23 and 24 of the presser foot .the extension of the main foot 23 can yield independently thereof and accommodate the extra thickness formed by the inturning of the edge of the body fabric and the lace edging. This is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This facing strip is led from a supply, and passes continuously throu h the machine and is of sufiicient length to e app ied to several garments. When one garment is finished and is passing out from underneath the presser foot, or rather at the time when'the new garment is entering beneath the front end of the presser foot, it will lift the presser foot, and tends to raise the rear end of the presser foot from off the facing strip extending between garments. The yielding sections 48 and 51 will, however, move down beneath the plane of the lower face of the foot section 23 and auxiliary foot section 24 and will bear on the facing strip so as to hold it in contact with the main feed-dog, and thus it is that a very smooth and even feeding of the facing strip may be accomplished. The auxiliary section 24, of course, yields to accommodate the lace edging strip. When this auxiliary section is raised by means of the extra thickness of fabric passing beneath the same, the

yielding section 51 in rear thereof, can yield to a further extent so, as to hold the facing strip and the lace edging in contact with the rear feed dog and thus maintain a constant feeding action thereon, even though the front end of the foot be raised by the starting in of a new garment or fabric to be faced and have the edging attached thereto.

It is noted that the main foot section is mounted on a pivot pin, and through the aid of the stops carried by the presser foot shank, the foot can be tilted and secured in tilted position. The tilting of the main foot section carries with it the lateral extension 25, and thus insures that the auxiliary section will be properly positioned to cooperate with the feed.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A. presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary foot section yieldingly supported by the main foot section and located at one side thereof, a yielding foot section carried by the main section at the rear end thereof and extending all the way across said main foot section, and a yielding section carried by said main section and in line with the firstnamed yielding section and extending al the way across said auxiliary section.

2. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary foot section yieldingly supported by the main foot section and located at one side thereof, a. yielding foot section carried by the main section at the rear end thereof and extending all the way across said main foot section, a yielding section carried by said main section and in line with the first-named yielding section and extending all the way across said auxiliary section, said main foot section being secured to said supporting shank by a pivot pin extending longitudinally of the foot section and midway between the sides thereof, and adjustable stops for rigidly securing the main foot secyield vertically thereon, a yielding section carried by said main foot section at the rear end thereof and extending all the way across the same, a yielding section carried by said lateral extension of the main foot and located in line with the yielding section at the rear end of the main foot and at the end of the auxiliary section whereby said yielding sections extend all the way across the rear end of the pressure foot and are adapted to move below the plane of the main foot section.

4. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a main foot section, a yielding auxiliary section located alongside of said main foot section, and means for limiting the downward movement of said auxiliary section when its under face is flush with that of the main section, a yielding section in rear of said main foot section, a spring for forcing said yielding section to a position with its under face below that of the main foot section, a second yielding section in rear of the auxiliary section, and a spring for forcing said second yielding section to a position where its under face is below that of the auxiliary section said auxiliary section having a shoulder for limiting the upward movement of the yielding section in rear thereof when the under face of said yielding section is flush with the under face of the auxiliary section.

5. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a main foot section pivotally connected to said shank, adjustable stops for limiting the movement of said main foot section on said pivot, said main foot section having a rigid extension, an auxiliary yielding section located alongside of said main foot section and carried by said extension, a yielding section in rear of the auxiliary section and mounted on said lateral extension of the main foot section, and a yielding section in rear of the main foot section and carried by said main foot section.

6. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary yielding section located at one side of said main foot section, said main section and said auxiliary section having needle holes therethrough, said sections being cut away in rear of the needle holes, and yielding sec tions mounted in said cut away portions and extending all the way across the presser foot.

7. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary yielding section located at one side of said main foot section, said main section and said auxiliary section having needle holes therethrough, said sections being cut away in rear of the needle holes, and yielding sections mounted in said cut away portions and extending all the way across the presser foot, the front ends of said yielding sections being beveled so that when said yielding sections are depressed below the lower face of the main section and auxiliary section,

the fabric can pass underneath said yielding sections. 4

8. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary foot sectlon carried by said main foot section, a spring normally forcing said auxiliary section downwardly, a stop pin for limiting the downward movement of said auxiliary section when its under face is flush with that of the main footsection, said main-foot section being cut away' at the rear end thereof, an auxiliary yielding section located in said cut away portion, and springs for normally forcing said yielding section downwardly until its lower face is beneath the lower face of the main foot section.

9. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a supporting shank, a main foot section carried thereby, an auxiliary foot section carried by said main foot section, a sprin normally forcing said auxiliary section d ownwardly, a stop pin for limiting the downward movement of said auxiliary section when its under face is flush with that of the main foot section, said main foot section being cut away at the rear end thereof, an auxiliary yielding section located in said cut away portion, springs for normally forcing said yielding section downwardly until its lower face is beneath the lower face of the main foot section, a second yielding section carried by the main foot section and located in rear of the auxiliary foot section, a spring for forcing said last-named yielding section downwardly, and a stop screw for limiting the downward movement of the section, said auxiliary section having a shoulder formed therein for limiting the upward movement of said yielding section in rear thereof.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOHN E. CHALMAN. 

